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President Obama to award Medal of Honor

Courtesy Story, Office of the Chief of Public Affairs2013-01-13

WASHINGTON - On Feb. 11, 2013, President Barack Obama will award Clinton Romesha, a former active duty Army staff sergeant, the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry.

He will be the fourth living recipient to be awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq or Afghanistan. He and his family will join the president at the White House to commemorate his example of selfless service.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND

Staff Sgt. Romesha separated from the Army on April 4, 2011. He and his family currently live in Minot, N.D. He is married to Tamara (Tami) Romesha and they have three children: Dessi, Gwen, and Colin.

Staff Sgt. Romesha enlisted in the Army in September 1999 as an M1 armor crewman. After completion of training at Fort Knox, he was assigned as a tank gunner with B Company, 1-63rd Armor, Camp Vilseck, Germany, which included an operational deployment to Kosovo. After Germany, he was assigned as a gunner/assistant tank commander with A Company, 2-72nd Armor, Camp Casey, South Korea. Following South Korea, which included a combat tour to Iraq, he was assigned as a section leader with 3-61st Cavalry, Fort Carson, Colo. There he completed the Long Range Reconnaissance Course, Advanced Leader Course, and Air Assault Training.

At the time of the Oct. 3, 2009 combat engagement, Staff Sgt. Romesha was a section leader assigned to B Troop, 3-61 Cavalry, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. His actions were performed at COP Keating, Kamdesh district, Afghanistan.

The Medal of Honor is awarded to members of the armed forces who distinguish themselves conspicuously by gallantry above and beyond the call of duty while:

engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States;

engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or

serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.

The meritorious conduct must involve great personal bravery or self-sacrifice so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the individual above his or her comrades and must have involved risk of life. There must be incontestable proof of the performance of the meritorious conduct, and each recommendation for the award must be considered on the standard of extraordinary merit.